Cessnock Council to consider gallery funding request

Cessnock Councillor Cordelia Burcham says while Council has a fiscal responsibility to ratepayers, it also has a social responsibility to support the arts.

Council was last night briefed by the Director of the Cessnock regional art gallery over its request for annual funding support.

The Gallery has warned it will be forced to close its doors within 18 months unless Council provides $120,000 a year.

Councillor Burcham says Council will now evaluate the request before making a decision.

"There is a fiscal responsibility to our community , first and foremost, but there is also a social responsibility," she says.

"I believe we have a thriving art community and I would like to see that supported. Given that we were only given this information last night, we will go away and consider. We will need to speak to the relevant staff who can give us various ways that this may be funded.

Gallery director John Barnes says he outlined the case for the gallery and received a good hearing from Councillors.

"Nearly all the councillors were there at the meeting," he said.

"A couple were absent for various reasons.

"They gave us a very good hearing.

"We presented them with a lot of background information.

"A lot of information on where the gallery sits right now and hopefully where it's going."